In this issue
CDC
visits Minnesota’s designated Ebola care hospitals
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
met with each of the four hospitals designated to care for Ebola patients in
Minnesota. The purpose of the visit was to review each hospital’s plan and
provide feedback and input based on lessons learned at hospitals that have
successfully cared for Ebola patients in the U.S. CDC team members included the
Department of Health and Human Services assistant secretary for preparedness
response, the CDC director of the Office of Blood/Organ and Tissue Safety and
industrial hygienists from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH). CDC officials said they were impressed with the level of
planning that has taken place in the state. Following the visits, the hospitals
will debrief with the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) on how their plans
can be strengthened even further.
Subgroups continue to meet to fine tune the state’s plan regarding EMS,
personal protective equipment and lab services. MHA will continue to hold
weekly conference calls with all Minnesota hospitals to ensure all hospitals
have the latest information and are getting their questions answered. MDH also
plans to release a PPE training video soon; it will be available on the MDH
website and on the MHA Ebola resource page.
Mali added to list
for Ebola screening
Beginning today, CDC added Mali to the list of countries from
which travelers will be screened for Ebola. Mali was added to the list
following a number of confirmed cases of Ebola in the country. Travelers will
be subject to the same screening being used for travelers from Liberia, Sierra
Leone and Guinea and will be required to enter the U.S. through one of the five
designated airports. Learn more here. return to top
Member
news: Allina Health names new CEO
Allina Health announced last week that Kenneth Paulus, chief
executive officer and MHA board chair, is retiring at the end of 2014. Dr.
Penny Wheeler, Allina Health’s president and chief clinical officer, has been
appointed the next CEO.
Dr. Wheeler assumed the role of chief clinical officer in 2006, having served
previously on the board of directors of the company, where she chaired the
Quality Committee. In 2013, she was named president, expanding her
responsibilities to include hospital operations while continuing to advance the
organization’s clinical quality and performance improvement agenda. Dr. Wheeler
has led many successful initiatives while at Allina Health, including the
merger of Courage Center with Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute to further
integrate care for those with disabilities, and the partnership with Children's
Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota to create the Mother Baby Centers.
Additionally, she has supported the development of specialty clinical service
lines to assure consistently exceptional care.
During his tenure at Allina Health, Paulus has led numerous growth initiatives,
including joint ventures, strategic partnerships and acquisitions. Paulus
joined Allina Health in 2005 after serving as CEO of Massachusetts-based HealthOne
Care System. Paulus has served as the MHA board chair for the past year. return to top
HPE
pilot period extended
The Department of Human Services (DHS) is extending the hospital
presumptive eligibility (HPE) “pilot” period for meeting performance metrics
from six months to one year. The pilot period gives hospitals the opportunity
to implement HPE without punitive measures for failing to meet the requirements
that 80 percent of HPE eligible individuals complete a full MNsure application,
and that 80 percent of that group be eligible for Medical Assistance. DHS is
currently unable to get accurate data from the MNsure system regarding which
programs or assistance some HPE-eligible individuals are eligible for. Therefore,
DHS cannot provide accurate information to hospitals regarding whether some of
their HPE-eligible patients were eligible for programs other than Medical
Assistance and are unable to determine if these individuals would count towards
or against the 80 percent requirement. The period is extended to June 30, 2015.
Hospitals will be contacted by DHS for assistance and follow up if errors are
found in HPE applications. DHS is particularly concerned with hospitals meeting
basic HPE eligibility requirements: checking for HPE coverage in the past 12
months; checking for current MA or MinnesotaCare coverage; ensuring the basis
of eligibility (income, eligibility group); MN residency; and checking
qualifying immigration status. Hospitals are strongly encouraged to use the
eligibility determination worksheets available here to help make correct
determinations. Hospitals can also contact Health Care Eligibility Operations
(HCEO) at 651-431-3480 or 888-702-9968, option 1, with HPE questions.
As of Sept. 30, 2014:
- 1,919 individuals were approved
for HPE
- 78 hospitals were certified to
make HPE determinations
Additional HPE update information is available in this power point or
visit the HPE website.
For more information contact Jen McNertney, MHA policy analyst,
651-659-1405. return to top
MedPAC
proposes DRG for short-stay hospital admissions
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), recently proposed
the creation of a set of diagnosis related groups (DRGs) to clarify some of the
ambiguities around the medical necessity for short stays of less than two
midnights.
MedPAC suggested creating specific DRGs that would focus on one-day admissions
to inpatient care facilities. It cited current CMS policies regarding
short-term hospital stays are "ambiguous and open to interpretation” and
could place a large financial burden on patients.
Hospitals have complained that such stays are an overt focus of recovery audit
contractors, or RACs. MedPAC observed that the large number of appeals by
hospitals of short-stay payment claw backs have overwhelmed the system.
Additionally, patients held in observation care, who are then transferred to a
skilled nursing facility (SNF), are not covered by Medicare for their nursing
home stay. About 11,000 patients a year who were transferred to SNFs do not qualify
for Medicare coverage, MedPAC said.
MedPAC ran a simulation of a one-day DRG and concluded that hospitals with a
large number of short stays would see a reduction in payments, while those with
smaller numbers of short stays would mostly be unaffected. Altogether, the
average payment differential between observation care and a one-day stay with
the DRG in place would be $910, while the differential between a one-day and a
stay of two days or more would be $3,210.
For questions, contact Joe Schindler, MHA vice president of finance,
651-659-1415. return to top
AHA
tool kit provides guidance on hiring veterans
The American Hospital Association (AHA) has developed a tool
kit, Hospital Careers: An Opportunity to Hire Veterans
that provides guidance on recruiting and hiring veterans specifically qualified
as licensed practical nurses; nurse practitioners; physician assistants; and
registered nurses. Many veterans have the necessary credentials and licensure
to practice immediately on separating from the military and bring talent and
leadership skills beyond their medical credentials.
The tool kit was developed as part of AHA’s support of the Joining Forces
Initiative and continued efforts to help hospitals recruit and hire veterans in
health care professions. return to top
MDH
to phase out quarterly licensure fee payment option
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) last week mailed
license applications for the following provider types:
- Boarding Care and Nursing Home
Licensees
- Hospital Licensees
- Outpatient Surgical Center
Licensees
- Supervised Living Facility
Licensees
Included in the licensure renewal notices was a memo announcing that MDH
will be phasing out the option to pay annual licensure fees on a quarterly
payment schedule. MDH no longer has authority to collect licensure fees on a
quarterly basis due to the fact that the 2002 law authorizing such payments was
not reauthorized. To ease the transition, MDH will still allow a quarterly
payment schedule in 2015, with completion of a Quarterly License Fee Rationale Form.
The 2015 licensure application is available here. For questions, contact Mary Absolon, manager, licensing and certification program compliance
monitoring division, MDH, 651-201-4100. return to top